In the early morning of 14 Oct 1942, the Newfoundland Railway passenger/rail ferry, S. S. 'Caribou', was sailing across the Cabot Strait when it was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat; it had left Sydney, Nova Scotia, on the evening of 13 Oct and was heading for Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland. Aboard were 192 passengers (armed forces personnel, as well as civilians), a crew of 46, some livestock, rail cars and other cargo. The island of Newfoundland, a sea-faring country which was still a British colony at that time, was in a strategic location during WWII because it was so close to Canada. There were several military bases on the island where Canadian, British and American personnel were stationed; these servicemen often travelled on the ferries between Newfoundland and Canada.
Of the 46 crew members of the S.S. 'Caribou', 31 died, including her captain and his two sons. Of the 118 Canadian, British and American armed services personnel, 57 died. And of the 74 civilians aboard the Caribou that early morning, 49 perished. 136 people in all were lost.
Private Abelson was one of the armed services personnel passengers, aboard the S.S. Caribou, who perished at sea.
Military Service-
Rank: Private
Service Number: D/124550
Age: 24
Force: Army
Unit: Canadian Army Dental Corps
Division: S.S. 'Caribou'
Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Morris Abelson; brother of Percy, Stanley and David Abelson of Montreal, Quebec, Canada; his brother Harry Abelson also served in the Canadian Army. Educated at Montreal schools and at Sir George Williams College, Charlie was a keen basketball and baseball sportsman. Prior to enlisting, Private Abelson was a salesman by trade, working for Consolidated Textiles Limited.
Private Charles Robert Abelson is commemorated on Page 54 of Canada's Second World War Book of Remembrance.
Of the 46 crew members of the S.S. 'Caribou', 31 died, including her captain and his two sons. Of the 118 Canadian, British and American armed services personnel, 57 died. And of the 74 civilians aboard the Caribou that early morning, 49 perished. 136 people in all were lost.
Private Abelson was one of the armed services personnel passengers, aboard the S.S. Caribou, who perished at sea.
Military Service-
Rank: Private
Service Number: D/124550
Age: 24
Force: Army
Unit: Canadian Army Dental Corps
Division: S.S. 'Caribou'
Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Morris Abelson; brother of Percy, Stanley and David Abelson of Montreal, Quebec, Canada; his brother Harry Abelson also served in the Canadian Army. Educated at Montreal schools and at Sir George Williams College, Charlie was a keen basketball and baseball sportsman. Prior to enlisting, Private Abelson was a salesman by trade, working for Consolidated Textiles Limited.
Private Charles Robert Abelson is commemorated on Page 54 of Canada's Second World War Book of Remembrance.
In the early morning of 14 Oct 1942, the Newfoundland Railway passenger/rail ferry, S. S. 'Caribou', was sailing across the Cabot Strait when it was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat; it had left Sydney, Nova Scotia, on the evening of 13 Oct and was heading for Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland. Aboard were 192 passengers (armed forces personnel, as well as civilians), a crew of 46, some livestock, rail cars and other cargo. The island of Newfoundland, a sea-faring country which was still a British colony at that time, was in a strategic location during WWII because it was so close to Canada. There were several military bases on the island where Canadian, British and American personnel were stationed; these servicemen often travelled on the ferries between Newfoundland and Canada.
Of the 46 crew members of the S.S. 'Caribou', 31 died, including her captain and his two sons. Of the 118 Canadian, British and American armed services personnel, 57 died. And of the 74 civilians aboard the Caribou that early morning, 49 perished. 136 people in all were lost.
Private Abelson was one of the armed services personnel passengers, aboard the S.S. Caribou, who perished at sea.
Military Service-
Rank: Private
Service Number: D/124550
Age: 24
Force: Army
Unit: Canadian Army Dental Corps
Division: S.S. 'Caribou'
Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Morris Abelson; brother of Percy, Stanley and David Abelson of Montreal, Quebec, Canada; his brother Harry Abelson also served in the Canadian Army. Educated at Montreal schools and at Sir George Williams College, Charlie was a keen basketball and baseball sportsman. Prior to enlisting, Private Abelson was a salesman by trade, working for Consolidated Textiles Limited.
Private Charles Robert Abelson is commemorated on Page 54 of Canada's Second World War Book of Remembrance.
Of the 46 crew members of the S.S. 'Caribou', 31 died, including her captain and his two sons. Of the 118 Canadian, British and American armed services personnel, 57 died. And of the 74 civilians aboard the Caribou that early morning, 49 perished. 136 people in all were lost.
Private Abelson was one of the armed services personnel passengers, aboard the S.S. Caribou, who perished at sea.
Military Service-
Rank: Private
Service Number: D/124550
Age: 24
Force: Army
Unit: Canadian Army Dental Corps
Division: S.S. 'Caribou'
Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Morris Abelson; brother of Percy, Stanley and David Abelson of Montreal, Quebec, Canada; his brother Harry Abelson also served in the Canadian Army. Educated at Montreal schools and at Sir George Williams College, Charlie was a keen basketball and baseball sportsman. Prior to enlisting, Private Abelson was a salesman by trade, working for Consolidated Textiles Limited.
Private Charles Robert Abelson is commemorated on Page 54 of Canada's Second World War Book of Remembrance.
Gravesite Details
Private, Canadian Army Dental Corps. Age: 24.
Family Members
Parents
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
